BBC TV presenter Beccy Barr dies aged 46 as Jeremy Vine and Steph McGovern lead tributes to star
Beccy Barr has died at the age of 46
BBC
BBC news presenter Beccy Barr has died at the age of 46 following a battle with incurable abdominal cancer.
The BBC North West Tonight host, who left the station in 2019, was diagnosed with the illness last year.
She left the broadcaster to pursue a new career as a firefighter in the years before her death.
Barr's death was announced by her sister via her X account.
She penned on Monday afternoon: "I’m sharing the very sad news that Beccy passed away peacefully this morning.
"She spent her last few days at @SJHospice who provided the most dignified & compassionate care to Beccy & her whole family.
I’m sharing the very sad news that Beccy passed away peacefully this morning. She spent her last few days at @SJHospice who provided the most dignified & compassionate care to Beccy & her whole family. Donations to the hospice can be made in Beccy’s memory. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/5IPhipzAY8
— Beccy Barr (@BeccyBarr1) July 22, 2024
"Donations to the hospice can be made in Beccy’s memory," she signed off.
Tributes from far and wide have since flooded in for the Lancaster-born presenter, including from local MP Cat Smith.
She wrote in response to the statement: "I’m so sorry to hear this, my heart aches for all those who mourn her.
"She made the world a better place because of everything she did with an enthusiasm that few could match. RIP Beccy. So much love to her family right now. X."
Jeremy Vine was just one BBC star to pay tribute to Beccy Barr
PA
Elsewhere, several of Barr's colleagues at the Beeb similarly used their social media platforms to pay tribute.
BBC Radio 2 presenter Jeremy Vine penned to his 785.8k X followers: "So sad to see this. Best wishes to all who were close to her."
BBC Breakfast regular Roger Johnson echoed: "Beccy was courageous in so many ways. Not least in choosing to leave a successful TV career to retrain as a firefighter.
"She excelled in that too. My thoughts are with her daughter and family."
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
This is heartbreaking.
— Steph McGovern (@StephLunch) July 22, 2024
Beccy was the life and soul of the BBC newsroom. She always cracked me up with her take on life. Funny, smart and fearless. And then when she left to be a firefighter we were all in awe. 💔 https://t.co/7dPHvChoIC
Meanwhile, former BBC presenter Steph McGovern commented: "This is heartbreaking. Beccy was the life and soul of the BBC newsroom.
"She always cracked me up with her take on life. Funny, smart and fearless. And then when she left to be a firefighter we were all in awe."
And BBC Sport presenter Shabnam Younus-Jewell echoed: "This has just knocked the wind out of me. Beccy was someone I always looked up to, my girl crush.
"Then I worked with her at NWT and found she was super intelligent, super fit, driven, more tall & beautiful in person and lived fiercely. Her daughter was everything. Thinking of her." (sic)